Michael r



- (No Model.) 1

- M. R. CONLEY.

ELECTRICAL FURNACE.

No. 558,357. I Pa tented Apr. 14, 1896. f \\\\I Wnessea L zz 1w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL R. CONLEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO IVILLIAM BELL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent N 0. 558,357, dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed September 25, 1895. -Serial No. 563,613. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MIcHAnL R. CoNLnY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, New York, have invented an Improved Electrical Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical furnaces for metallurgic operations of that class in which the heat for melting the ore, metal, or other material to be treated is produced by the incandescence of a resisting portion of the electric circuit.

The main object of my invention is to so I 5 construct an apparatus of this character that the action upon the ore, metal, or other material will be more uniform than in apparatus as heretofore constructed, and, further, that the extremes of variation in the resistance in the electric circuit at different stages of the operation will not be so great as heretofore. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, while Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the 2 5 line 2 2, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus embodying my in vention.

A is an elongated trough-like vessel or retort with its top closed by a lid or lids a and having its bottom on the inside on a slight incline, as shown in Fig. 2, and running down to a tapping-hole a at one end. This vessel, which should be contained within a suitable brickwork chamber 13, has its body made of a composition containing carbon, which is of relatively low electrical conductivity. For instance, it may be conveniently made of a composition in which plumbago is a principal ingredient, mixed with clay, somewhat as plumbago crucibles have long been commonly made; but I do not wish to limit myself to any particular composition. On opposite parts,

preferably the sides, as shown, of this vessel.

I form in one with the body of the vessel pro- 4 5 jecting arms a preferably of the same material as the body of the vessel itself. These arms, as shown in Fig. 1, project through to the outside of the walls of the chamber B and have there connected to them, by clamps c or otherwise, the terminals 0 of an electric circuit. In the drawings I have shown the vessel or retort A as having three of these con necting -arms a for the terminals on each side.

Around the joints between the terminals 0 5 5 of the electric circuit and the connectingarms of the vessel or retort I provide means for cooling, consisting of hollow water rings or pipes R, with piping r 4", through which a circulation of cold water may be kept up. A layer o of asbestos or other non-conducting incombustible material separates these waterrings from the terminals and connecting arms.

. The ore, metal, or other material to be treated is in pulverized form, and in the case of iron ore or metal, for instance, is preferably mixed with more or less carbon, according to the product to be obtained, and this mixture is placed in the vessel to a suitable 7o depth and the vessel closed, but vent-holes are left for the escape of the gases.

Then the electric current is turned on, it will be seen that the circuit is completed through the body of the vessel or retort itself, 7 5 instead of necessarily through the contents of the vessel, as has heretofore been common. While some portion of the current in my apparatus of course passes through the contents of the vessel I rely primarily on the heating of the vessel itself, and in this Way I find that I can get a more uniform action upon the substances under treatment and a more uniform product, and, furthermore, I can save time and reduce the extremes of variation of resistance in the circuit, because where the circuit is necessarily through the pulverized contents of a retort the resistance at the beginning of the operation is extremely high and the current is slow in taking effect.

While in my apparatus a portion of the current of course may pass through the contents of the vessel in the early as well as in the later stages of the operation, I rely primarily on rendering the vessel incandescent and communicating this incandescence to the contents thereof.

I claim as my invention- 1. An electrical metallurgic furnace, com prising a vessel of a composition containing carbon, with integral arms of the same mate rial on opposite parts of the vessel, and to Which the terminals of an electric circuit may be connected, substantially as described.

2. An electrical metallurgic furnace, comprising a vessel of a composition containing carbon, integral arms 011 opposite parts of the vessel of the same material, and terminals of an electric circuit connected to said arms,

with cooling-rings about the said arms and 10 terminals, as and for the purpose described. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

MICHAEL R. CONLEY. Vitnesses:

EDITH J. GRIsWoLD, HUBERT HoWsoN. 

